44a EXPERDIEXT STATION. [Jan. 



In February, 1918, owing to the enlistment of Dr. Gage in 

 the army, it became necessary to suspend the testing for an in- 

 definite time. This proved a great disappointment^and danger 

 to the poultrymen. The Massachusetts Poultry Society, with 

 a membership of about 500 poultry keepers, petitioned the 

 Legislature of 1919 for an appropriation of 85,000 to enable 

 the experiment station to resume the work. After the usual 

 hearings before the committees on agriculture and ways and 

 means, the following bill w^as reported, which was enacted into 

 law and received the approval of the Governor on May 23, 

 1919: — 



Chapter 185, General Acts of 1919. 

 An Act to provide for the Testing or Poultry and the Elimination 



OF Disease. 

 Be it enacted, etc., as follows: 



The department of veterinarj^ science of the experiment station at the 

 Massachusetts Agricultural College may expend a sum not exceeding two 

 thousand dollars out of the appropriation made for the maintenance and 

 current expenses of the college, in item numbered four hundred and 

 eighty-two of the general appropriation act, for the purpose of testing 

 poultry to ehminate disease. The deiDartment is further authorized to 

 charge a fee not exceeding seven cents for each test so made. [Aj^proved 

 May 23, 1919. 



It will be noted that the act above carries an appropriation 

 of S2,000, whereas the petitioners asked for one of S5,000. 

 This is explained as follows: When the hearings w^ere held it 

 was explained to the committees that it hq,d been necessary to 

 suspend testing because of the absence of the men overseas, 

 who had had it in charge, and that it would not be possible to 

 resume operations until they had, one or both, returned to the 

 department. In addition, it was explained that poultrymen 

 would not care to have birds tested at the time of the enact- 

 ment of the bill because of the lateness of the season, when all 

 hatching operations were over for the year. In view of these 

 facts, and the additional one that the act could not take effect 

 until after the expiration of ninety days following its approval, 

 on account of its carrying an appropriation and the absence of 

 preamble, the committee on ways and means was led to 

 recommend an appropriation of S2,000 to carry on the work 



